McDonald’s Christmas Eve hours: When does McDonald’s close?

Christmas Eve may see some late-night McDonald’s diners out of luck.

It’s Christmas Eve, you’re running around as the sun goes down for one reason or another. Last second gift shopping, traveling to see the in-laws (flying out of your house to avoid the in-laws), or maybe you’re wrapping up your last work shift before Christmas. It’s dinner time, and you don’t have the energy to cook. Could McDonald’s be an option?

The short answer is yes, McDonald’s could be an option if you’re hoping to close out your day with some chicken nuggets and fries. The long answer is long but maybe. Maybe you’ll have some luck getting those McNuggets.

See, McDonald’s is often franchised. Meaning despite sharing a corporate overlord, the restaurants are individually owned. So the hours of operation will differ wildly at times depending on who runs that specific store. A lot of McDonald’s will be open later on Christmas Eve, usually about 11, but some may be closed earlier and some may be closed later.

It’s up to the individual store owner to set those hours. If it’s a busy restaurant, they’ll be open later, if it’s a more rural place; the safe bet is that it closes sooner.

McDonald’s hours differ from store to store

For a piece of mind, most restaurants are going to close anywhere from 8 PM to 11 PM on Christmas Eve by a rule of thumb. So keep in mind that McDonald’s will often follow the same mindset. Busier stores are open later, not-as-busy won’t be.

The franchisees will make the call.

Now, most McDonald’s restaurants will be closed come Christmas; but again, not all. Some 24 restaurants may still be open depending on the location and the owner of said restaurants. The best bet to find an open restaurant on Christmas is to go to any 24-hour store, most of which can be found near major high entrances and exits.